From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has said there is no rift between the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, and his deputy, Benjamin Kalu, over the dissolution of the joint committee saddled with the task of probing alleged infractions in the oil and gas sector, or over any other matter.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Akin Rotimi, in a statement on Wednesday, said the two presiding officers enjoy “a robust and cordial relationship”, with mutual respect for each other.
The House had mandated its Committees on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Petroleum Resources (Midstream) to investigate alleged fuel racketeering and other issues in the oil and gas sector.
However, on Monday, the House announced the dissolution of the joint committee, saying an ad hoc committee would be constituted to undertake the assignment.
Nonetheless, the House spokesman said, contrary to speculation, “the action by the leadership was to ensure efficacy, independence, and effectiveness of the investigation.”
He added, “The leadership of the House reserves the right to disband/dissolve an ad hoc committee whenever the need arises. The action taken by the House to dissolve the Ad Hoc Committee on Oil and Gas Investigation did not contravene any rule of the House or any law of the land.”
Furthermore, Rotimi noted that the House leadership did not receive inducement for the appointment of anyone as committee chairman in the House.
“At no time did the House leadership or anybody for that matter receive inducement for the appointment of any committee chairman. It was an assignment diligently executed by the Selection Committee of the House between June and July 2023, which has a member from each of the states of the federation.”